Key Takeaways
- Action figures emerged from the toy industry's efforts to create successful lines for boys, following Barbie's popularity.
- G.I. Joe, launched in 1964, pioneered the action figure concept, later adapting its branding during the Vietnam War.
- Mego Corporation capitalized on licensed superhero and movie figures, solidifying the market, but famously declined the Star Wars license.
- Deregulation in the 1980s fueled a surge in toy-driven cartoons like G.I. Joe, linking animated content directly to product sales.
- The manufacturing of action figures involves intricate sculpting, precision molding, and careful assembly of plastic components.
- Rarity, unique production features, and mint condition significantly drive the high market value of collectible action figures.
Deep Dive
- Ruth Handler's Barbie success spurred toy companies to seek similar models for boys' toys.
- Stan Weston proposed a soldier doll concept, which Hasbro VP Don Levine purchased for $100,000 in 1963 and named 'action figures'.
- G.I. Joe, debuting in 1964, originated the action figure craze as a 12-inch figure with 21 moving parts.
- G.I. Joe was initially conceived as a collective name for four distinct military dolls: Rocky, Skip, and Ace.
- G.I. Joe faced struggles in the 1970s, partly due to the Vietnam War, leading to its temporary discontinuation.
- The figure was rebranded from a soldier to an adventurer, with examples like jungle and aquanaut scenarios.
- This reintroduction as an adventurer also saw diminished success, creating a market vacuum.
- G.I. Joe accounted for nearly 66% of Hasbro's profits in its first year, 1964.
- Mego solidified the action figure market with its successful licensed 'World's Greatest Superheroes' line in 1972, featuring DC and Marvel characters.
- In 1973, Mego expanded into movie-based action figures with 'Planet of the Apes' and 'Star Trek' lines, reducing the standard figure size to 8 inches.
- Mego famously declined the Star Wars license, a decision that allowed Kenner to produce a highly successful toy line.
- Mego's detailed playsets, such as the Star Trek Enterprise bridge, demonstrated deeper engagement with source material.
- In the late 1970s, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) formed a task force to investigate concerns about advertising directed at children.
- Child psychology experts testified that young children are cognitively unable to understand the intent of advertising.
- The private sector lobbied against potential restrictions, spending $16 million.
- Ronald Reagan's administration initiated deregulation in 1980, allowing companies to market products to children with less oversight.
- Deregulation led to a surge in warlike cartoons and toys, with G.I. Joe's popularity significantly increasing between 1983 and 1984.
- G.I. Joe and Transformers cartoons, while primarily serving to sell toys, featured surprisingly good storytelling, voice acting, and animation.
- President Reagan vetoed a 1988 effort to re-regulate children's programming by limiting advertising time and requiring educational content.
- This era also contributed to a decline in creativity for subsequent cartoons, which increasingly focused on selling products.
- The creation of action figures begins with a sculptor designing an armature and forming the basic body shape with clay, taking 2-3 weeks.
- Action figures are primarily made from plastic resins like Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), with other plastics used for specific parts.
- Mold creation is the most time-consuming manufacturing step, accounting for approximately two-thirds of total time and lasting a few months.
- Injection molding, which pumps plastic into a mold under pressure, became the standard technique for action figures, displacing rotational molding.
- After molding, separately molded parts like arms are assembled onto the main body of the action figure.
- Paint details are meticulously applied to enhance the figure's appearance.
- Early action figures, though less detailed than modern toys, are suggested to have fostered greater imaginative play due to their simplicity.
- The classic cardboard-backed plastic casing became a standard for packaging, contributing to marketing and collectibility.
- Rarity drives value; figures initially considered poor quality can become valuable if produced in limited quantities.
- Yakface, a figure from the 'Power of the Force' line, gained value due to its limited 1985 release primarily in Europe.
- The 1979 Boba Fett action figure with a missile-firing feature was never released due to choking hazard concerns, making unreleased versions highly valuable.
- A double telescoping lightsaber feature on original Star Wars figures like Luke Skywalker's is identified as a rare and valuable attribute.
- Collectibility is tied to mint condition and original packaging, with certain figures selling for $18,000 or receiving $100,000 offers.
- The website Yojo.com provides G.I. Joe nostalgia, including a gallery of 'Hilarious Knockoffs and Bootlegs of Beloved Toys'.
- Humorous dubs of G.I. Joe Public Service Announcements created by Eric Fensler are a popular re-watch for fans.
- The podcast team supports Kiva, a micro-lending website, having collectively loaned nearly $4 million through over 9,000 members.
- Kiva microloans have a low default rate of 4%, demonstrating a successful model for leveraging globalization for social good.